The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 153: Luna, the Apostle from Another World

Vol 2 Chapter 153 Luna, the Apostle from Another World

The teal Griffin charged through the gale, Sylutia holding Princess Mursa by the hand as they stood on the Griffin’s back, both of them plunging into the sea of clouds as the beast broke through the atmosphere.

The fierce wind spread from the Griffin’s wings, tearing apart the majestic beam of light rising from the ritual array, the clustered silver-blue mist shattering layer by layer and dissipating into the air.

It advanced against the beacon’s pillar of light, endless gusts running through and spilling from its mane, making Sylutia and Princess Mursa barely able to keep their eyes open. If the Griffin had not deliberately sheltered them, they would already have been swept away by the chaotic airflows and sent beyond the firmament.

As the Griffin dove, the gale ripped the trees from the ground. The previously raging sea of fire was snuffed out in an instant, bitter cold winds filled every corner, sand and stones skittered, and the mysterious eye-pattern once etched on the earth was completely erased.

With snarls and howls, the three-headed hellhound was torn apart in the sweeping winds, its body dissolving into streaming firelight that split into thin strands in the air before vanishing entirely.

The Hundred-Eyes Sect Leader, who had tried to redirect the ritual array, was also ripped apart into bloody foam in the raging gale, disappearing without a trace.

The land for nearly ten miles looked as if it had been wiped clean, leaving only black soil and small shattered stones, leaving onlookers in the distance stunned into speechlessness by the scene before them.

It was something they had never seen in their lives, something they could not even have imagined.

After neutralizing the ground array, the Griffin circled and raced across the entire territory of Regas, absorbing into itself the castle silhouettes hovering above town after town. Its form became more defined with every absorption.Under the night sky, countless people heard the roaring wind, stepped out of their houses, and looked up at the teal beast forged of starlight. Some prayed, some worshiped, and others shrank back in fear.

Then it took off again, heading toward the tear that exuded Astral Aura, climbing steadily like a teal comet streaking straight across the heavens.

————

Celestial Gardens · Spring Flower Court

Slender tender shoots unfurled, clusters of buds crowded together, and one blossom after another bloomed gorgeously. Fairies darted and played among the flowers and leaves, plucking and playing a variety of instruments with their fingers to weave the beautiful, gentle hymn of spring.

Beneath emerald leaves and pink-rose arbors, a full-figured and stunning figure sat gracefully. She wore the whitest, most flawless dress in existence and possessed near-perfect features. Under her lashes gleamed pink irises more beautiful than any gem. Behind her unfolded magnificent, stately butterfly wings, and small fairy-like lights fluttered around, combing her sun-bright golden hair.

Her eyes were half-closed as she listened to the fairies’ composition. Occasionally she leaned on the grape-vine woven seat, a strand of hair brushing her ear to reveal a calm and serene expression.

Another song finished. She opened her eyes. Even without moving, the fairies present already understood her intent and paused with their instruments.

“The Griffin has awakened.” Her voice sounded like a natural song; merely saying it enthralled the fairies into devotion.

At that moment, a fairy who looked sixteen or seventeen drifted down from the sky. Three pairs of translucent cicada wings sprouted from her back, and her pale-gold hair framed an exquisitely beautiful face.

“Mother, should the Griffin be resealed?” As she spoke, golden thread-like patterns flowed along the wings behind her, particularly lovely.

“That won’t be necessary.” The flawless beauty smiled faintly.

“I can see Sherin’s child, actually. They’re about your size now.”

“Hmph. How could that be? I’m over three thousand years old. I bestowed my grace on Sherin when she first came of age.” She shook her wings with a touch of pride, then knelt slowly beside the exquisite figure, resting her head lightly on the other’s knee.

“Sherin is still asleep, right? She hasn’t written to me in a long time.” The fairy said softly.

“Mm.” The pale hand threaded through the fairy’s hair and stroked it gently.

“That child tried to use the Griffin to seal the Astral Rift. That was still too reckless.”

“Seal the Astral Rift?” Hearing those words, the fairy leaning in her lap lifted her head again, curiosity and excitement in her eyes.

“Why didn’t I sense anything? The Celestial Gardens feel so peaceful.”

“Because it was a very small rift with limited impact. Even if the other Hours noticed, they paid it little mind.” The flawless figure answered in a gentle voice.

“You go and move the clock’s hand forward three notches. The Griffin Palace’s trajectory will naturally close that rift.”

“But, Mother, the ‘Summer Hour’ Elodie currently governs the Four Seasons Clock. If I go push the hand, that lord will definitely get angry.”

“Giggling, you’re afraid sometimes too?”

“Go without worry. I’ll explain it to her.”

“Really?” Hearing that promise, the youthful fairy sprang up.

“Then I’m off.”

She tapped her toes and flew up into the sky.

“Luo Qinweila, Silumia, come fly with me~” she called to the other upper-tier fairies.

Soon, three fairies of similar build left the Spring Flower Court and flew toward the magnificent spectacle on the firmament.

The immense clock face spanned tens of kilometers, engraved with countless plants and flowers—everything in the world was etched there. On that giant timepiece were two golden hands of different lengths, wrapped in buds and vines and dotted with red-gold gems, slowly revolving to mark the seasons.

This was the clock the fairies’ monarchs used to divide the seasons and it represented the world’s temporal order. The growth of kingdoms and plants across the lands all related to this Four Seasons Clock.

Now the Summer Hour Elodie supervised the Four Seasons Clock, and fairies under her charge circled the great timepiece, maintaining and guarding it.

Three fairies landed on the clock. At first the others paid no attention, thinking they had come merely to play and enjoy the view.

But when the three alighted on the long hand and pushed it forward, the other fairies suddenly reacted.

“Stop, you two!”

By then the tip of the hand had already begun to move slowly. Each time it crossed a notch, a melodious bell sounded.

Soon three bell tones rang out. The lingering resonance spread toward the distant sea of heavens, and where it passed the plants subtly shifted.

Under the bell’s toll, the stars on the firmament accelerated. They reached their expected positions three days earlier than scheduled, forcing scholars across the seven continents to readjust their calendars.

At the edge of the world’s barrier, the stars of the Griffin Palace glittered and slowly covered the rift’s location. The Astral Aura was absorbed by the Griffin Palace’s stars, and the white light that had obstructed the dragon-scale crystal wall dissipated.

Outside the rift the Master Who Gazes All Truth tried a final desperate effort. Eye Tyrants of various sizes surged from the Astral Plane. Without anchored contracts or protection, they were repelled by the world but still, during their descent, fired at the dragon scales around the rift, trying to prevent it from sealing.

At this time the shrinking rift held its ground again. Sylutia and Princess Mursa rode the Griffin, approaching from below the firmament. The gale scattered the Eye Tyrants, allowing the rift to contract inward and begin to close again.

A thunderous roar echoed. The Griffin opened its huge mouth, drawing in countless starlights and winds. A dazzling brilliance gathered inside, and the ensuing dazzling torrent burst through the rift, briefly driving back the Master Who Gazes All Truth.

The dragon-scale crystal wall contracted further and sealed. Seeing the situation futile, the Master Who Gazes All Truth finally gave up, letting out an enraged roar before withdrawing slowly.

“Is it over?” Sylutia watched the rift in the otherworld gradually shrink and finally let out a sigh of relief.

She was about to turn and speak with Princess Mursa beside her to discuss the aftermath, but at that moment a strange suction emanated from the fissure. Everything else remained unaffected, but Sylutia herself was lifted like a dandelion and spiraled into the rift.

As she neared the rupture, Sylutia’s irises met what lay within again. This time she did not see the Master Who Gazes All Truth. Mostly there were scattered motes of starlight with little coherent information.

The only unusual thing was the special pull that attracted her, which brought a strange sense of intimacy. Although it felt abrupt, the force was not violent, and if Sylutia had resisted with full strength she probably could have escaped.

Driven by curiosity and expectation, Sylutia slowly steadied her form and approached the edge of the world’s barrier. She fixed her gaze on the shimmering, peculiar-colored rift as chaotic, distorted information streamed into her.

If others had been there, they might have experienced bewildering hallucinations—countless inexplicable scenes and lights forcibly interpreted as bizarre twisted lifeforms.

But Sylutia slowly parsed the chaotic data, as if tuning to a frequency and loading a decoder. The seemingly random information harmonized and unified into coherent images.

The previously vague lights and shadows became clear and distinct. Only then did she finally see the scenery beyond the world’s barrier.

“Ah, you finally said something.” A delicate girl even more fragile than Sylutia stood there. She faced a huge, bright full moon and wore a cute and beautiful dress. Tiny fingers peered from butterfly sleeves, clutching a matching parasol with ruffled edges like a blue rose. The parasol swayed gently as she twirled it between her small fingers.

Between them was like a transparent water veil, light and shadow twisting and undulating yet remarkably clear. Sylutia could see the gigantic silver full moon behind the girl bathing her in moonlight. The girl bore none of the alien star’s twisting deformities; instead she exuded rare peace and gentleness, the opposite of the alien Aspect’s traits.

She held the ruffled parasol with one hand, her pinky slightly raised, and placed the other index finger to her lips as if warning Sylutia not to speak.

Her long black hair flowed in the moonlight. Her blue-rose eyes blinked gently. She looked fifteen years old, but her power exceeded even the Master Who Gazes All Truth. Simply viewing the moon behind her forced Sylutia’s thoughts into stillness.

“Don’t stare too long. This isn’t your world’s moon.” Her voice sounded again inside Sylutia’s head.

…

“You want to ask about the moon behind me?”

She tilted her head and touched her chin lightly, thinking for a moment before blinking and answering.

“That’s probably the power of my elder sister. The moon behind me isn’t your world’s moon. It belongs to my elder sister and represents time and space, stillness, mending, and a gentle, healing light.”

“How to explain it specifically? Our relationship with my elder sister can’t be described by worldly concepts. We are her followers, sharing tastes, goals, and yearnings. We are her hands and eyes, helping her complete her wishes. Because we share the same yearning, it is effectively our common desire. Since our longings are so similar, communication is seamless among us. We are likewise continuations of one another’s lives. Even if any one of us dies, as long as others live, the meaning of that life does not vanish. It continues to persist in the multiverse.”

“Elder sister? She is the sister we all revere. Like me, she has black hair and blue eyes. In fact, our appearances stem from her.”

…

“Because elder sister is only sixteen or seventeen, none of us should appear older than her. Am I right?” She twirled a delicate finger at her sleeve cuff.

After explaining her origin, she looked at Sylutia again.

“I have high hopes for you. Would you like to be my friend?”

…

“It’s okay. You will grow. As long as you remember me, we will meet again at some future time. Then I want to invite you to explore this starry sea universe with me.”

…

“Wondering why I’m puzzled? I should explain. You carry a familiar feeling—maybe born of the same universe and world as us, or due to some connection. Among all the twisted creatures in your world, you simply look pleasing to the eye.”

…

“This picture book is for you. Use it well. It will be an aid to you.”

…

“Its prototype was the sketchbook my elder sister used when she painted. You can use it to record important things: landscapes you love, scenes you miss, fleeting insights, and people you cannot forget.”

By then the rift in the otherworld had grown very small, roughly a mere thirty meters across.

“Ah, the gate’s closing. See you next time~”

…

“My name? I am Luna. What about you?”

…

“Sylutia. Such a lovely name.”

“Farewell, Little Tia.”

With a light laugh, Luna’s moonlight radiance spilled forth and actively mended the rift behind her, even healing it completely with no visible trace of injury.

After leaving this world, she continued to roam the multiverse of the Astral Plane. Over perhaps tens of thousands of years she might meet one or two friends and speak of this encounter.

“I once encountered a very strange world, full of distorted creatures and undeveloped life. But I found one especially tiny little being.”

“She should also come from the same origin as our star. In that world she was like a cute fledgling not yet ready to leave her nest~”

“I’m so eager to see what she will look like grown up. Someday she’ll crack her shell, won’t she?”

“Even the same seed, when rooted and sprouted in different places, will bloom different flowers.”

“The world is beautiful because it is diverse.”

“If I recall correctly, right, Sister Hershia?”